John Burns, our web programming guy, is in Ann Arbor volunteering for the geek give camp this weekend. What is the geek camp, you wonder? Glad you asked! During this weekend long event, software developers, designers, and database administrators donate their time to create custom software for non-profit organizations.

This custom software could be a new website for the nonprofit organization, a small data-collection application to keep track of members, or a application for the Red Cross that automatically emails a blood donor three months after they’ve donated blood to remind them that they are now eligible to donate again. The only limitation is that the project is one that should be completed by the end of Give Camp.

John's developing a tool for the Michigan Humane Society- a kind of referral service for their web site. As for me, I didn't even realize designers were a part of this, or what it was exactly, until I communicated with one of my (micro-blogging) Twitterfriends, Marty Adams from KVCC. Marty sent me a tweetand asked if I could help do some graphic design work for a drama camp for kids. Having once-upon-a-time attended a drama camp for kids near Ann Arbor, this was a perfect assignment for me. I'll let you know if any of my designs work out for the web site they're feverishly working on right now - without much air conditioning, according to John's last Twitter message.I don't know if anyone's blogging about the weekend, but I thought someone should. So I am :) Even though John had a flyer outside his cube for weeks I really had just a vague impression that it was for programmers only. Obviously there's plenty of tech skill sets that are welcome and needed there. I'm glad I can participate last minute from a remote location. Are you interested in volunteering next year? I imagine there wil be plenty of Mountain Dew and moon pies available...